


(Not)Double the Fun

by Falazure



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU Alec Lightwood, AU version of a main character, Alternate Realities, Angst, Angst with a Hopeful Ending, Character Death, Dimension Travel, Double Alec Lightwood, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Mentioned Major Character Death, idk i consider this 'light' angst anyway lmao, not TWI 'verse though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-24 19:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20912993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falazure/pseuds/Falazure
Summary: It's like looking at Alec through a distorted and warped mirror.





	(Not)Double the Fun

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing.
> 
> This idea popped out of my head many moons ago now, I’ve been dabbling with it on and off and finally cleaned it up enough to my liking. It’s a bit of an odd one and there is mention of major character death(though not of our versions of Malec) but if that’s still enough to bother you then please skip this fic.

* * *

It was certainly strange to see a doppelgänger of his husband casually poking through the shelves and bottles of his apothecary, long fingers twisting objects this way and that before putting them back in their place.

He wasn’t quite an exact match for his Alexander though. He was older for a start, grey hairs dusting the sides of his head and a trimmed, scruffy beard adorning his face. He had a scar on his cheek that Magnus wasn’t familiar with and instead of neat suits he was covered in combat gear, he even had a sword strapped across his back.

The biggest difference however was his face, how drawn and tired he looked, his eyes dull and almost devoid of anything that made his Alec well… Alec.

“I don’t trust him.” Magnus’ own Alec muttered at his side, his eyes hadn’t left this other version of himself since he’d gotten home.

“That’s hardly a surprise darling.” Magnus gave his Alec a wry smile and continued looking through his spell-books. The other Alec had told him that he’d gone through a portal and somehow ended up here and all he wanted was a way back.

Magnus wasn’t sure he entirely believed him but he hadn’t had it in him to turn the man down, Magnus didn’t think he could refuse any version of Alec, even one that wasn’t his own.

His Alec just huffed next to him, his arm crossing tighter over his chest.

“No it’s just, he keeps looking over at you.” Alec’s stern eyes were still following his older-mirror around.

“How truly awful.” Magnus put a book aside and picked up another. “Besides he’s you.” Alec’s face pulled into an interesting expression at that.

“That just means I know what he’s thinking.” Magnus snorted under his breath and rolled his eyes a little, Alec wasn’t the jealous-type normally but that didn’t mean it never reared it’s head, especially at truly bizarre moments.

Like an older dimension-hopping version of himself landing on their doorstep.

“I’m not trying to be rude I promise.” The other Alec had turned around, a warm but sad smile on his face. “It’s just… nice to see you.” The sadness in his eyes made small, hollow-pit begin to open in his stomach and Magnus he went back to his book, flicking through it’s pages and feeling Alec shift beside him.

“What’s it like? Where you come from?” His Alec asked, curiosity probably overriding his mistrust at this moment. A long sigh left the other Alec.

“Hell, literally.” Magnus looked back up at him, brows pulling together. The other Alec rubbed at his face as he took a few steps closer. “It’s nothing but war, constant fighting, constant death.” His hand dropped and he looked beyond tried, a bone-deep exhaustion radiating from his very core. “Centuries ago several greater demons were unleashed on Earth and well… took over. Everything. We’ve been fighting back ever since.”

Magnus could only begin to imagine what a world swarming with demons would be like, greater demons at that, roaming around, killing as they saw fit, his father… Magnus shuddered at the thought and banished it from his mind.

“And you want to go back?” His Alec asked and Magnus could only agree with the question, who would _want_ to?

“I was...” The other Alec let out a helpless laugh, eyes darting around lost before landing back on Magnus, the sheer and utter grief in them making Magnus’ stomach drop all the way down to his toes. “I was trying to find a way to get to you.”

“He was taken?” His Alec asked, his dear, sweet husband who wasn’t listening to what his mirror’s eyes were screaming.

“No.” The other Alec’s voice was raspy, full of pain and his eyes tracked over Magnus’ face, like he hadn’t seen it in a long, _long_ time and his Alec finally understood what his double wasn’t saying, shifting even closer to Magnus but he hardly noticed.

How exactly did you contemplate the knowledge that in another universe you were dead?

“How did it happen?” His own voice was quiet, his fingers had stopped turning the pages and only rested heavily on the paper. The other Alec sighed, eyes closing and Magnus felt a twang of guilt for making this man relive something he probably didn’t want to remember.

“Demons, it’s always demons.” A rueful smile pulled at the other Alec’s face. “But, you grabbed the attention of Lilith and well… She didn’t take kindly to how well you were sealing up their rifts.” Magnus couldn’t help but feel some pride towards his other-self, knowing that even in a world literally overrun he had still done his best to help. “She banded together with a few other powerful demons and...” The other Alec looked up at him, eyes shining with pain “I couldn’t save you.”

Magnus swallowed, silence permeating the room.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Don’t.”

“But you couldn-”

“Please, don’t.” The other Alec cut him off, expression pleading. He composed himself soon enough however, stood up straight again, the only sign of his grief locked tight within his eyes. Magnus couldn’t help but see it now. “I didn’t come here for forgiveness, I came here to find a way, any way to get back to before...” The other Alec cut his words off, like he couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.

“How long have you been traveling?” His Alec asked, his eyes softer now on his older-counterpart. The other man let out a deep sigh.

“It feels like decades.” He lent back against the wall, eyes distant and far away, like he was remembering what home was like but couldn’t _quite_ picture it. “I’ve been searching for anything, any kind of magic to send me back in time.” The other Alec swallowed. “But I keep ending up hopping through dimensions hap-haphazardly, like I’m not _allowed_ to get back.” He blinked once, slow, before looking back up and Magnus’ heart ached for him.

He knew better than anyone just how much it hurt to loose someone you loved before their time. And how easy it was to unravel into madness at repeated failures to fix something you _desperately_ wanted to change.

“I can help you.” He reassured, the other Alec let out a breath and nodded.

“Thank you.” The other Alec pushed himself off the wall and started towards the door. “I’ll just be out there.” He pointed a thumb towards the living room. “Let you guys have some space.” Magnus gave him a soft smile as the other Alec left and didn’t stop him, he probably wanted to be alone for his own sake too. Magnus would happily give him that.

“Is time-travel even possible?” Alec’s quiet rumble startled him for a moment, his eyes snapping to his husband, watching as Alec’s eyes were fixed on him before they dropped down to the book in front of them.

“Anything in theory is possible, but mortals bending time to their will?” Magnus sucked in a breath. “Even for me that would be a test of my skills.” He admitted, frowning as he turned over the pages again, pondering how he could possibly begin to make this work.

Time-travel in general was dangerous and ill-advised, most often it simply didn’t work, the universe refusing to bend it’s laws to anyone or anything, not even demons and angels themselves could successfully alter time with any kind of guaranteed success.

But concerning another dimension? The rules were less rigid, you weren’t beholden to the time-line in quite the same way so theoretically you could place someone exactly where you, or they, wanted to be.

“You can do it.” Magnus’ eyes snapped up to Alec’s, his eyes-widening at the unbridled determination in his husband’s eyes. His unwavering faith still took Magnus by surprise sometimes, that there was someone who fully and wholly believed in his ability to do anything, it made his chest swell with confidence and re-doubled his resolve.

“Trust me, I am going to do my damned best.” And not just for the sake of the other Alec sequestering himself in their living room, but for his other-self too.

Magnus had always been pretty good at saving his own ass after all.

**Author's Note:**

> (Because I can't leave it completely hanging: yes our-Magnus gets Alt-Alec back to before Alt-Magnus dies and they continue to fight back against the demonic invasion.)
> 
> I edit my own stuff as best I can but if you see any glaring typos or errors please let me know. :)


End file.
